The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower - Stephen King

The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower (King, 2004)

I'm not sure what the best words are to describe how I felt after finishing this book, this series of books, I've been reading now for the past nine months or so. The best word might be overwhelmed. Joy, sadness, excitement, catharsis, and a sense of loss that comes any time we end a book we've enjoyed, but even more so when the ending is as unexpected (yet perfectly fitting) as this. King says it best in the book: "Endings are heartless. An ending is a closed door no man can open.... Ending is just another word for goodbye."

For me, this last book was a fitting culmination of all the rich and varied storytelling that has gone on before. It is, of course, packed full of adventure and imagination. We travel deep into End-World and the blasted lands under the Crimson King's rule. Horrific monsters and calculating villains try to stop our heroes at almost every turn, and the death toll rises as Roland presses onward, not only to save the Tower (and all of existence) from destruction, but to breach the Tower, climb to the top, and see what is there. This personal obsession to accomplish a great feat, which has been lurking uncomfortably the whole time beneath Roland's more noble intentions, comes to full flower in the dramatic, Byronic conclusion to this epic tale, which I'm guessing angered more readers than it pleased. It is a tough ending to like, but I do think it is perfect, better than even King gives it credit for.

I can see many different ways to take this book, and the series as a whole. On the surface, it is a mind-bending adventure tale spun by a fine storyteller. A little bit deeper, we see an honest appraisal of flawed, sinful people trying to accomplish good in the face of personal failings. An element of classical drama exists, with Shakespearean tragedy unfolding relentlessly, but also with a healthy dose of humor. Further below that, we could get a philosophical treatise of pride, ambition, bravery, and selfishness; even a spiritual analysis of man's attempt to know (and perhaps be) God.  Layered over all these elements is a thoughtful examination of the art of writing itself, and the ways a story can and cannot change real life, both for the writer and the readers.

Is this series a resounding, unquestionable success? No. Are there flaws? Absolutely. In some cases (like The Talisman, for instance), the flaws are so awful they scuttle the whole thing. In the case of The Dark Tower, I think they help to make it live. I definitely enjoyed the journey.

Arbitrary rating: 4.5 out of 5 Byronic conclusions

The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah - Stephen King

The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah (King, 2004)

Mia, daughter of none, has taken over Susannah's body and brought her to New York of 1999 to deliver her baby. In pursuit through the Unfound Door, Roland and Eddie are swept off to Maine 1977, while Jake, Oy, and Father Callahan wind up in Susannah's where and when, but perhaps too far behind to save her from the Crimson King's minions...

This was a fascinating book.  Shorter than any Dark Tower book since The Drawing of the Three, it delves more deeply into the history, mythology, and cosmology of Mid-World, moves the plot along at a fast clip, and takes one of the most unexpected metafictional turns I've ever encountered. Most of the time, when a story delves into metafiction, it comes off as a cheat along the lines of "...he woke up and it was all a dream."  King really impressed me, because I think he successfully worked metafiction into the plot of the book and enriched it rather than cheapening it.  Does it change the character of the whole series?  To some degree, yes. But there were hints as early as Wizard and Glass, and this story is so personal to King, it just makes sense to me.

As a standalone book, Song of Susannah is fairly weak, but it isn't meant to stand alone. Filled with rich detail about the series as a whole, it doesn't have much room left to tell its own unique story - rather, it fills in some significant blanks in the Mid-World universe while moving the plot forward a few steps to prepare for what is to come...

Arbitrary rating: 4.5 out of 5 unexpected metafictional turns